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Just FYI all-
There are still spots available for entrants/students at the PDX at Pocono on June 16 and 17 (Fri and Sat). Go to the TriRegion website for more info- www.triregionracing.org
Also, we are still in need of instructors and other workers. Instructors are given FREE TRACK TIME in exchange for working with two students. Please note that this is not meant to be a test-n-tune session, but if you come and share your knowledge, you can go out with other instructors and play. This is on the Long Course at Pocono, which is used for all SCCA Club Races there. Things are much more organized this year (since I managed to correct most of my screw-ups from last year), so if you think you *might* be interested, email me and I'll send you a packet of instructional materials, and you can look over and decide if it's somethig you want to do.
We can always of course us course workers, and there is NO experience necessary. Workers will also get a chance to get out on track at the end of the day, either in your own car for a tour or a few warm laps, or go out with one of our instructors who will show you around at a pace that is as brisk as you choose...
There are quite a few IT.com regulars who will be there in various capacities, as Stewards, instructors, workers, and I believe even one or two participants...
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Same days as the Lime Rock Park School/Regional, which will also need instructors... <_<
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Boy, I'm glad I had nothing to do with scheduling... (seriously)
So Greg, next you're gonna tell me you need workers too, huh? :P
Nationals to the left of me, Club schools to the right, here I am- stuck in the middle with, uh, nobody... :(
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Its even worse, its a school and Regional race to the east of you.
If I had the time, money and it wasnt my first season I would probably come up and help somehow. But instead my time and money are needed to rebuild my motor that I blew at VIR. Talk about a stressfull first season.
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Matt, I really, really, REALLY like this PDX program. And, as I've said before, I really want to participate. However, I suspect I'm not alone in being frustrated in not participating to the extent I desire, usually caused by confliting priorities. Given that this is a program that needs support and personnel from the road racing program - and can directly benefit the road racing program - it really seems very strange that the two groups are each working in a vacuum.
I tell ya, NASA really has this DOWN. I've only run one NASA race weekend, Hyperfest '04, but it was a pretty impressive combination of both HPDE and road racing. Their programs are developed, scheduled, and coordinated together, and they have a direct flowing line of progression from basic HPDE instruction to the direct competition racing. NASA seems to be able to accomplish this because of two distinct differences from SCCA: first, a SIGNIFICANTLY lesser number of race groups; two, HPDE and competition events on the same track, same weekend. They interspersed HPDE and competition groups, and ran them like clockwork. This resolves issues that we are seeing now in SCCA, such as too many race groups and now your inability to find instruction and volunteer personnel. With NASA, the instructors, workers, and coordinators are already there!
The core problem with finding instructors and volunteers for discrete PDX events is that most folks place priority on the competition weekends and they just have too many other priorities (or are just flat burned out financially) to be able or interested in attending PDX weekends.
If this PDX program is to survive in SCCA, it **MUST** be run similarly. Both groups can benefit from mutual cooperation. I suggest putting together a few Restricted Regional weekends at Northeast tracks where we have a limited group of production-based competition groups with the remaining groups filled in with HPDE/PDX entrants. Your instructors and track volunteers will already be there, and the PDX drivers can get a good sense of how they can/will fit into the competition end of SCCA.
Short of that, this will be an on-going and potentially fatal issue for the PDX program... - Greg
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Greg-
I agree to some extent. I have pushed for Pocono to be a combo event, possibly even a PDX/Club School/Regional weekend type thing. Unfortunately, the organizers of the Pocono PDx place a lot of stress on running the "long course" and also are skeptical of dealing with the logistics of multiple events on the same site. If a track does support multiple, simultaneous configurations (Pocono, VIR, or the multiple tracks at Summit), this method does work incredibly well.
One major issue we obviously have at this point is scheduling, mostly from an availability point of view. Tri has to take that weekend at Pocono, in direct conflict with other events, or lose it and be down to only the National.
One issue with running the PDX interspersed into Club Races is mentality. I have been told by more than one CR Steward that they don't care what the paperwork says, they're not letting cars without cages out on "THEIR" track- PERIOD. Nevermind the fact that in that situation with a co-sanctioned and co-insured event, the Club Race actually "stops" when the PDX group goes out, and resumes upon the start of the next CR run group... They don't even want Level 3 events with them because the cars don't meet Club Racing category specs.
I do however feel that PDXs do stand a chance as a stand-alone event, since there are many clubs doing just that. We just need to get better and cooperate with those groups (cross-breed if you will) and offer our days as an extension of an already successful program. Lots of other clubs have ridden on our coat-tails for years, so why can't they return the favor?
I would like to talk to you more in-depth about your experiences with NASA. I need some honest, non-biased opinions on a few things and I think you're the person I want to talk to...
Enjoy your weekend everyone, I'm off to Summit!
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Agreed Greg...but the NASA advantage is less race cars, and bigger tracks. We've got huge tracktime issues in the NE. Your restricted Regional approach is the only way, but might see resistance from the old guard. IF the events are in ADDITION to the regualr schedule, there should be no complaining from the racers, but then theres the same old issue with more weekends for the workers.
One advantage PDX events have is the much more minimal staffing requirement needed.
Does NASA have classes for Formula cars?
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Yup, Greg, I agree with ya about combining the two events at much as possible.
The other great thing about getting HPDE participates along side us racers is that it makes the transition to road racing easier (if they so choose that route). They already know the routine, they've already been to these same events, they've met people in the racing groups...
